Acting on specific intelligence from central agencies that violence could erupt during the protests called by farmers’ associations and trade unions against the new farm laws, the Tamil Nadu police have chalked out a strategy to intensify security cover for the Raj Bhavan here and in Udhagamandalam in the Nilgiris district.
In a bid to intensify its agitation against the new farm laws of the Centre, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha called for a “save agriculture, save democracy” sit-in protests in front of Raj Bhavans across the country on June 26.
The joint platform of trade unions, including CITU, AITUC, INTUC, LPF, HMS and others, expressed their support to farmers in their agitation against the farm laws.
After an alert was received from the Centre that some Pakistan-based ISI proxies had planned to sabotage the farmers’ protest by instigating violence, a note was sent to keep the intelligence machinery on high alert and step up security at Raj Bhavans in all States.
In Tamil Nadu, senior police officials in Chennai, the Nilgiris and all other districts were told to step up surveillance ahead of the proposed black flag protest.
Special teams of the State intelligence and local police were monitoring the movement of suspicious persons and others who came to adverse notice in recent months, police sources said on Sunday.
Besides access control at the Raj Bhavans in Chennai and Udhagamandalam, security would be tightened at major Central government establishments in the State.
Police were in touch with farmers’ associations and trade unions to assess the number of participants, though there was no permission for protests or any other activity in view of the prohibitory orders and COVID-19 safety guidelines, the sources added.
